ShareThisAny movie that requires a video game to fill gaps in the story raises a red flag. The game tie-in for "Jumper" is called "Jumper: Griffin's Story," which is interesting because in the movie Griffin has no story. He's just some guy who flashes in and out of the teleporting hero's adventure, sometimes acting as an ally, sometimes trying to pummel him with a semi. Griffin has no explanation or motivation, much like the rest of the movie's characters and plotlines, none of which have their own video games."Jumper" is the scattered tale of David (Hayden Christensen), a hyperactive twerp who discovers he has the ability to disappear and jump to any point in the world he desires. You never know where you'll see Christensen next -- Big Ben, atop the Himalayas or swinging from the Sphinx's beard. The one place you won't spot him is on the Kodak Theatre stage when the best-actor Oscar is being awarded. Even supernatural powers can't counter wooden acting.Christensen is no Brando, but he's just as adequate a one-note hero as Keanu Reeves or Matt Damon. The fault with "Jumper" comes after the first half-hour, when a riveting setup is squandered in a morass of nonsensical conflicts and set pieces."Jumper" would work best as a short film, cut off before things get silly. Starting as an alienated teen, humiliated in front of the girl he loves, David learns he can zap himself away to anywhere he likes. He uses his novel power to rob banks, take lunch breaks atop mountain peaks and escape one-night stands. He even jumps back to his hometown of Detroit and picks up his longtime crush, Millie (Rachel Bilson), for a first date in Rome.But all is not well in Jumperville. People called Paladins want him and all other Jumpers -- and yes, there are other Jumpers -- dead.Want to know what Paladins are and why they want to snuff out Jumpers? Play the video game, I guess.As white-haired Paladin extraordinaire, Roland, Samuel L. Jackson is miffed at David. I'm talking miffed -- he follows David around carrying a special wormhole-hopping machine and a Taser-like boom stick that electrifies Jumpers so bad they can no longer jump.No reason is given for Roland's anger, so we're left to assume it's residual frustration with Christensen from Jackson's Jedi character in the "Star Wars" prequels.The film signifies a need for a career intervention for director Doug Liman, who started as an exciting indie filmmaker with "Swingers" and "Go" but then made the speedy but hollow action flicks "The Bourne Identity" and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." With "Jumper," at least he nailed the title -- the action skips around faster than the speed of the plot.2.5 stars out of 4Rated: PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence, some language and brief sexuality.Cast: Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, Jamie Bell, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane. Director: Doug Liman.Family call: Keep your younger kids away.Running time: 90 minutes. (Phil Villarreal is the author of the novel "Stormin' Mormon" (Publish America, $19.95) due out in March and available on Amazon.com. Contact him at pvillarreal(at)azstarnet.com)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
'Jumper' is a scattered action tale that needs a plot
Paying taxes unites us. It also divides us. People can pay five and even six times more in state and local taxes than other folks in similar circumstances making similar incomes.
Who's got your number?
In one of the fastest-growing forms of identity theft, crooks are stealing tax refunds by swiping personal information and using it to trick the Internal Revenue Service.
